Russia
Trump chews coalition of the willing leaders out over Russian oil imports
US President Donald Trump got into another shouting match over the Ukraine conflict, this time with Europe’s top leaders of the coalition of the willing, in a phone call following the end of the Paris summit on September 4.
The coalition of the willing meet in Paris to try and stop the war in Ukraine
President Zelenskiy travelled to Denmark and France on September 3 to meet with leaders from 35 countries that make up the coalition of the willing (COW) and discuss the need for strong measures to pressure Russia to negotiate an end to the war.
LONG READ: Europeans face recession, financial crises, as they struggle to boost defence spending
US President Donald Trump has dropped the burden of supplying and supporting Ukraine’s battle against Russia firmly in Europe’s lap. But cash-strapped and with the UK and France on the verge of crisis, they are going to struggle to manage.
Uzbek leader wants to expand nuclear cooperation with China
Is Tashkent putting together a backup plan in case Rosatom can’t fulfil its obligations?
Russia’s central bank releases its closely-watched annual medium-term outlook report
The Central Bank of Russia (CBR) released its Main Directions of the Single State Monetary Policy (MSMP) for 2026–2028 on September 4, warning of persistent inflationary pressures but reaffirming its commitment to a 4% inflation target for 2026.
LONG READ: Europe can’t afford the Ukraine war
US President Donald Trump has cut off all aid to Ukraine and dumped the problem in Europe’s lap. But Europe can’t afford to pay for the Ukraine war, nor for the modernisation of its own defence sector.
Putin admits problems in Azerbaijan-Russia relations
“Problems exist”, Russian president told journalists, after ties with Azerbaijan have cooled in recent months.
Nato’s Zeitenwende to reach 2% spending goal – Statista
New data released last week by Nato exemplifies how profoundly the realities of foreign relations have changed over the course of the past three years, Statista reports.
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Russian services PMI improves to 49.1 in August, but demand remains fragile
Russian services activity stabilised in August after two consecutive months of decline, according to S&P Global’s latest PMI data, but the broader private sector continues to face subdued demand and weakening confidence.
Putin has no objection to Ukraine joining the EU
Debunking a widely held assumption, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a visit to China to attend the SCO summit that Russia has “no objection” to Ukraine joining the EU on September 2.
Slovakia's PM Fico says he wants standard relations with Russia following his meeting with Putin
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico said he wants standard relations with Russia following his meeting with Russian Vladimir Putin in Beijing. Fico stated he spent nearly an hour in private talks with Putin.
SCO summit highlights India’s balancing act
For India, participation was both a bridge and a shield. It allowed New Delhi to remain engaged with Eurasian institutions while avoiding full alignment with Beijing or Moscow.
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Serbia pushes for gas deal in Beijing meeting with Putin
Russia remains a key supplier of energy to Serbia and an ally in Belgrade’s dispute with Kosovo, despite strains in their relationship over the war in Ukraine.
Russian petrochem major Sibur eyes $400mn bond sale, IPO still on the cards
Russian petrochemical major Sibur opened the order book on August 28 for its new five-year US dollar-denominated bonds series 1R-08 with a fixed monthly coupon and a volume of up to $400mn, according to Cbonds.
Russian state Max messenger mandatory across all devices
As of September 1, the Max messenger of state-controlled internet major VK is legally prerequired to be preinstalled on every smartphone and tablet sold in Russia, as well as be featured mandatory on the Russian app store RuStore, including on Apple.
Xi pitches an equitable “multipolar” world order leveraging Global South “mega-markets power” at SCO summit
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin called on Global South leaders to leverage their "mega-scale market" and strive for a new equalitarian multipolar world order at the SCO summit in China.
Can the SCO shield Iran from Western pressure?
As Tehran continues to face mounting pressure from the US and its European counterparts, the strategic value of other alliances is becoming more pressing following the so-called 12-day war with Tel Aviv and Washington.
Russia's manufacturing sector remains under pressure despite signs of stabilisation
Russian manufacturing activity continued to contract in August, although at a slower pace, as persistent weakness in demand weighed on output and new orders, according to the latest Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) data published by S&P Global.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is coming of age
More than two and half decades after it was founded as a regional security organization to secure porous borders in the depths of Central Asia, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is coming of age as it expands its reach and agenda.
BRICS leaders gather in China to coordinate anti-Trump alliance
The EU’s 27 foreign ministers will debate seizing Russia’s frozen $200bn at an informal gathering in Copenhagen, as the leading BRICS nations gathered in Beijing to form a common strategy to deal with US trade aggression on August 30.